1. Field
Embodiments of the invention relate to the field of vehicle load carriers; and more specifically, to coupling vehicle load carriers to a trailer hitch receiver.
2. Background
Many automobiles are equipped with a trailer hitch receiver which is generally a square tube that is securely coupled to the frame of the vehicle and capable of receiving a towing load. A tow hitch may be inserted into the receiver and secured by a hitch pin to provide an attachment for a trailer. The receiver provides a secure connection to the vehicle without requiring the actual trailer attachment, which may be a bulky protrusion, to be left in place permanently.
The receiver may provide a convenient means for attaching other accessories to a vehicle in addition to a tow hitch. For example, cargo bins or platforms and carriers for recreational gear such as bicycles, skis, and surfboards may be securely coupled to a vehicle using the receiver.
Receivers may be provided in various sizes based on the towing load they are capable of safely handling. For example, a class I receiver has a nominal one and one-quarter inch square opening and is rated for 200 pounds of tongue weight and a class III receiver has a nominal two inch square opening and is rated for 600 pounds of tongue weight.
When accessories are provided to be attached to a receiver, it may be necessary to provide models with different drawbars to be inserted into the receiver to accommodate the different sizes of receivers even though the greater load capacity is not required. This may require keeping more models of the accessory in inventory. This may also require the consumer to purchase a new accessory or a cumbersome adapter if they want to use the accessory on a vehicle having a different size of receiver.
It would be desirable to have a way of efficiently providing an accessory that can be used with more than one size of receiver.